Even though Ravichdran Ashwin failed to make the cut when the BCCI announced India’s squad for the ODI World Cup set to commence on October 5, an injury to Axar Patel has left open a door for Ravichandran Ashwin. Moreover, the team management’s decision to include him in the squad for the home series against Australia points to the fact that he is very well in the scheme of things for the World Cup despite having played just two ODIs since the start of 2018.

The decision to include Ashwin for the three-match series against Australia has left the cricket community divided. While there is a section of fans and pundits who reckon that the right call has been made as he will provide an off-spinning option and is more than useful with the bat lower down the order, the other section feels this is not the right call at all.

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan was among those who questioned the move to bring back Ashwin into the scheme of things. He said that the planning could have been much better.

“You get a better spinner than Ashwin in the entire world. But in a tournament as big as the World Cup, where there is immense pressure, you can’t expect a senior player to walk in and play for the team in a format which he hasn’t played for a long time and prove his worth. So you are leaving it entirely to fate. There is no planning here,” Pathan said while speaking to Star Sports on their YouTube channel.

“Had there been a plan for Ashwin, they sould have given him some game time before the World Cup. Yes he will be playing against Australia, but is that enough? You have to bowl for 10 overs, and adjust in the team as well and give India that result. It isn’t that easy. Planning should have been better,” he added.